Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Jerlina's eyes clouded.

He apologized!

She thought it was enough that Jeremy knew the truth. She didn't know she needed the apology.

Turns out, she needed the apology.

Everything that went wrong in her life, started with her meeting Emma again. She lived in fear and stress for months. After she lost her baby, she almost lost her mind trying to find out the reason behind everything.

She slowly learned a lot of truths and little by little each of the knots in her heart got removed. She learned a lot, she changed a lot and she grew a lot for the better. She lost some and gained some. She learned that a lot of people truly love her; more than she thought.

The biggest shock for her was the fact that Jeremy never hated her and he really wanted to protect her.

But she feared him for the better part of her life thanks to the lies of Emma.

And for Jeremy to not believe that his sister is not a saint till now, was a big burden in her heart. She didn't know why, but she didn't like Jeremy thinking highly of the one who ruined her life.

Not just because he confessed to her, but also for his sake, she wanted him to know Emma that is not a good person.

He realized it now and he even properly apologized for not believing her cries back then.

And now she felt like the last knot that was burdening her was straightened and the weight in her heart got lifted.

"Thank you, Joel," she hugged him around his neck,

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she felt peaceful.

"I know you're hurting, but thank you for acknowledging this and thank you for apologizing. I didn't know I needed it, but now that you did it... Thank you," she hugged him closer.

"Hmm, I did what I must do," he buried his cheek in her abdomen.

He was relieved this went well. He hugged her around her waist and pulled her closer.

"What are you doing?" Jerlina asked. She was now standing between his legs and he was hugging her tightly. His facial hair prickled her abdomen passing through her clothes. The prickly feeling made her want to laugh.

"Shh," he shushed her. He wanted to be in her embrace a little longer.

He could hear her breathing and the little rumbles in her stomach. When he adjusted a little, he could hear her heartbeat.

Lub-dub, Lub-dub,...

It was pleasant to hear. And so he listened to it.

Jerlina didn't know what he was thinking, but she didn't mind that big guy leaning on her chest. She hugged around his neck and rested her chin on his head. His hair was like a cushion and it was nice to rest on it.

Jeremy pressed his forehead on her chest and took in a good whiff. She was smelling a bit different and it was more enticing than the citrusy scent he usually smells around her. It was different in the sense, this scent made his abdomen tighten.

Is this her scent? Is she not wearing perfume today?

He took in another good whiff. But then he remembered smelling that citrusy scent some moment ago.

Am I mixing it up? No, I sure smelled it today. She is wearing the same clothes she was wearing in the morning, so where did the scent go?

He took another whiff. The perfume scent was not there.

Jerlina rolled her eyes seeing the guy sniffing her cleavage. She gives him an inch and he always takes a mile.

"What are you doing?" she asked twisting his ear.

"Ahhh!" he screamed. "What did you do that for?"

"You don't know?" Jerlina tried to take a step back but he didn't let her.

He pulled her closer holding her dress at the abdomen. "Are you not wearing your perfume today?" he asked.

He wondered if his sense of smell got warped. He has a very good sense of smell, Bobby would joke that he's a bloodhound.

But how...

"No, why?" Jerlina was a bit embarrassed.

Do I smell?

She checked herself for any smell, but she didn't find herself smelling bad. "We got ready in the hotel, right? Unfortunately, I didn't pack my perfume when I was dragged to the dentist. I didn't even bring my phone..." she complained while checking herself once more seeing his weird face.

Did I lose my sense of smell? Do I smell that bad? I don't usually smell bad, though?

"Hmm," Jeremy rubbed his nose and there it was... that same scent in his hand. It was a bit prominent but was mixed with some other scent that Emma usually wears. He touched Emma behind the ear while checking her bruise. But he washed his hands after that.

Right! Just now, he grabbed Emma. And that's how this scent could have transferred to his hand.

Did Emma enter Jerlina's room and used her perfume? Or worse... she started wearing Jerlina's perfume?

Nah, it can't be! I'm acting oversensitive now.

Or am I?

"What is it?" Jerlina asked losing her patience. She was feeling embarrassed that she might be smelling bad and this guy is acting weird.

"Nothing. Do you want to reheat the soup a little? Finish it first," he changed the topic and stood up.

He didn't know why. But he had a sinking feeling in his heart that what he found out about Emma till now might just be the tip of the iceberg.

After finishing lunch, Jeremy watched Jerlina doing the dishes. She never grumbles to do these chores. He wouldn't mind if she grumbles though.

And seeing her standing bare feet in his kitchen, wearing his apron, and washing dishes, he felt an unfounded joy.

She is my wife!

"Jerlina, why did you stay silent when I was confronting Emma? Don't you want to say I-told-you-so to me?" he asked. He guessed the answer, but he asked. "And why didn't you stop me from going behind Emma?"

Jerlina placed the plate in the drying rack and turned to look at him.

"You are already hurt learning about Emma and I didn't want to twist the knife in your heart. And you're a good guy, Joel. You don't deserve any 'I told you so's," she said with a sigh and turned back to wash the next plate.

"My sufferings... I'll deal with them and... Your apology greatly helps." She tried to fix the bunch of hair falling in her eye, but wearing the rubber gloves she failed a she blew on it and it got fixed.

"And Emma is your sister. I don't want to overstep in case you find me crossing boundaries. I won't- Ahh! Joel!" She screamed as he hugged her from behind.

"Geez! You scared me! You walk like a cat!"

"Overstep, Jerlina," he bit her earlobe. "Smash all my boundaries. I want to be yours alone. Next time I do something you don't like... stop me. I heard the wife holds such authority over her husband."

He let her go and she turned to face him.

"Oh, really?"